Animal-releasing device



J. S. EDMONDS. ANIMAL RBLEASING DEVICE.

(No Model.)

No. 520.395. Patented May 22, 1894.

@Mr wey me NAnoNAL Lnuueilmna COMPANY.

JOSEPHS EDMONDS, OF EAGLEVILLE, TENNESSEE.

ANIMAL-RELEASING DEVlCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,395, dated May 22,1894.

Application filed August 4 .1893.` Serial No. 482,402. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. EDMoNDs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Eagleville, in the county of Rutherford and State ofTennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomaticApparatus for Sounding Alarms; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic apparatus for soundingan alarm and effecting the release of stock in a barn, stable, orsimilar place in the event of a fire breaking out therein; and itsnovelty will be fully understood from the following description andclaim when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which-Figure l, is a perspective view illustrating a portion of a barn orstable together with my improved apparatus, and Fig. 2, is a detailsection better illustrating the mechanism for releasing the halters ofthe animals.

In the said drawings, similar letters designate corresponding partsthroughout the views, referring to which- A, indicates a stable or barnwhich may be of any approved general construction; B, indicates theswinging doors thereof which are provided with staples a, designed totake through fixed hasps as b.

C, indicates box stalls provided with mangers as D; and E, indicates theswinging doors of said stalls, which are preferably retained in theirclosed position by the turn button F, which is mounted on a post betweenthem as illustrated.

The doors B, and E, are designed to be released by the automaticmechanism presently described; and when so released, the said `doors arepulled open so as to afford an escape for the stock, by the chains G,which have one end connected to a fixed rafter-post or the like, andtheir opposite ends connected to their respective doors, and which areprovided at an intermediate point in their length with actuating weightsl-I, as illustrated.

I, indicates a cord which is formed from cotton or other combustiblematerial and is stretched taut the entire length of the barn or stable,preferably at a point adjacent to the roof thereof. This cord I, isdesigned and adapted to normally sustainthe weighted ends of the leversK, L, M, and N, and to permit the said ends of the levers to fall when afire breaks out as will be presently described. The levers K, and thelevers L, are preferably fulcrumed adjacent to the roof of the barn orstable and they are respectively provided at one end with a hook c, toengage the cord I, and with a weight as d, to rock them in theirbearings when released. The lever K, has its opposite end connected to awire or the like e, and this wire is connected to the clapperf, of abell or gong g, which may be and preferably is located in the bed roomof the farmer or stable boss so as to notify him immediately should afire break out in the barn or stable. The elevated or unweighted ends ofthe levers L, are connected by wires as h, with pins as t', which takethrough the staples o, on the inside of the hasps b, and serve to retainthe doors B, in their closed position; and thus it will be seen thatshould a fire break out and the cord I, be parted, not only will thefarmer or stable boss be quickly notified but the entrance doors of thebarn or stable will be immediately opened. The lever M, (see Fig. 1,) isalso provided at one end with a hook c, and a weight d, and its oppositeend is connected by a wire or chain lc, with one end of the turn buttonE, whereby it will be seen that when the weighted end of said lever ispermitted to fall it will pull the turnbutton out of engagement with thestall-doors so as to permit of the same being pulled open by the chainsG, and weights II, before described,

I have provided the levers N, which have weights cl, similar to those ofthe levers K, L, M, in order to effect the release of the animals incase they should be tied in their stalls,

but in case it is not desired to tie the animals, it is obvious that thesaid levers N, might be dispensed with.k When employed however, thelevers N, have their weighted ends connected to wires m, which take overpulleys or through eyes as n, and are provided at their upper ends witheyes as p, to receive the cord I, which serves to support the Weightedends of all of the levers. The opposite or unweighted ends of the leversN, are connected to wires or chains r, which carry pins as s, and.

IOO

these pins are designed to take through a slot x, in the manger D, or ina bar adjacent thereto and also through a loop or eye at one end of thehalterstrap P,so as to normally fasten the said strap and the animal.

It will be readily perceived by reference to the drawings that allof theseveral levers K, L, M, and N, to which the bell wire c, and thefastening devices are connected have their weighted ends sustained bythe cord I; and consequently should a fire break out and the cord beparted, an alarm will be immediately sounded, the halters of the animalswill be released and the doors E, and B, will be opened so as to permitthe animals to freely pass out of the burning structure.

I have described the combustible cord I, as being placed adjacent to theroof of the stable or barn because fire has a natural tendency to ascendand consequently the cord would be parted at the beginning of aconagration, but I do not desire to be understood as confining myself tosuch location of the cord, as it might be placed at any desiredelevation.

It willl be noticed from the foregoing description taken in conjunctionwith the drawings that my improved apparatus is very simple andinexpensive and that a stable or barn may be equipped with the same atslight cost 5 and it will also be noticed that as soon as the cord I, isparted, all of the parts are positive I and prompt in their action, thusinsuring a quick release and escape of the animals.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim is- The combination with abarn or stable having a door as B, and also having a stall and a stalldoor E, fastening devices for holding the doors B, E, in a closedposition, means for opening the said doors when the fastening devicesare disengaged therefrom anda device for fastening the halter of theanimal in the stall; of a releasing apparatus consisting essentially ofthe combustible cord stretched within the barn or stable, the levers L,M, fulcrumed'adjacent to the combustible cord and having a weight .atone end and a hook atthe same end engaging the combustible cord, wiresor chains connecting the opposite ends of the levers L, M, and thefastening devices of the doors B, and E, respectively, the lever N,having a weight at one end and having said end connected with thecombustible cord, and a chain or wire connecting the unweighted end ofthe lever N, and the halter fastening device, all substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH S. EDMONDS. Vitnesses:

W. J. OWEN, A. W. JACKSON.

